Flying top



J. K EREZI FLYING TOP Feb. 3, 1948.

Filed April 26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Josey .7/ e z' @Wfflyfiw Patented Feb. 3, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLYING TOP Joseph Kerezl, Dearborn, Mich.

Application April 26, 1946,Serial No. 665,063

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates totops, and in particular to flying tops.

One object of this invention is to provide a flying top having retractible rotor blades which are automatically extended when the top hits the round or other surface on which it is intended to spin.

Anotherobject is'to provide a'flying top having a hollow body with rotorblades retracted therein and. held by a latching mechanism which is released when the peg of the top hits the pavement or other surface on which it is intended to spm.

Another object is to provide a flying top as set forth in the preceding objects wherein the rotor blades are curved near their outer end so as to be faired along the top body, so that a part of the blade is outside the top and a part inside when the rotor is inits latched or retracted position, these upturned blade portions g v greater stability and preventing sliding off of the top sidewise during its descent.

Another object to provide a flying top as set forth in the preceding objects wherein the rotor blades, on being released by the latching mechanism, are projectedupwardly and outwardly into flying position. A

Another object is to provide a, flying top asset forth in the precedingobjects wherein the top is spun either by a-cord Wound thereon or by a'conventional spring winder, the contact of the peg with the pavement or other spinning surface causing the blades to be unlatched and to be projected upwardly and outwardly whereupon their engagementwith the air causes the top to riseto a height above the operators head and then to descend slowly and gently.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a central vertical section through a flying top according to a preferred form of the invention, with the rotor blades unlatched and extendedinto flying position;

v Figure 2 is a cross-section taken along the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a centralvertical section similar to r 2 Figure 1 but with the rotor blades in their retracted and latched position;

Figure 4 is a cross-section along the brokenline "4131 Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentarycentral vertical section of the lower portion of the-top, taken along the line'5- 5 in Figure 2, but with the rotor blades retracted and latched asinFigure-3;

Figure-6 is a cross-sectionnearthe lower end of the top taken along the line 'li-S'in Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a top plan view of the latchsupport shown'in Figures 1,3,5 andfi;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the latchsupport shown in Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the top casing with the rotor'blades and other mechanism-removed; and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary side, elevation of the lower portion of the top, looking from the lefthand side in Figure 5'with the internal mechanism removed. 7

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figure '1 shows a preferred embodiment of the flying top, generally designated III, as housed in a roughly egg-shaped hollow casting I I "havinga lower half l2 and a cover or cap I3 separably attached thereto by means of interengaging undercut edges [4 and [5 (Figure 9) along spaced internal and external contact edges l6 and H respectively. The casing H is preferably made of light material such as molded plastic, and has relatively thin walls enclosing a chamber 18 with upwardly inclined openings 19 therein for the passage of rotor blades 26. The openings l9 are distributed so that their upper portions lie in the cap 13 and their lower portions in thelower half I2.

The outer ends of the rotor blades 20 are upwardly turned -as at 21 with a configuration approximating the contourof the cap 13 sothat when the blades 20 are retracted (Figure 3l,.-th e blade portions 21 lie snuglyalong the cap li and are approximately faired intothe latter so :as to blade 20 are preferably alsoof approximately airfoil cross-section (Figure 2) so as to possess efiicient aerodynamic performance characterreduced diameter portion 30 upon which is mdunt- 1 r ed a washer 3|, the latter abutting the annular shoulder therebetween and also' engaging the 7 upper surface of the spider 26. The upper end of the reduced diameter portion 30 is reciprocably mounted in a bore 32 within a downwardly pro-v jecting boss 33 formed on the lower side of the cover 13. A compression sprin 34 extends be tween the boss 33 and the washer 3| and urges the plunger 29 downwardly. 7

Likewise wound around the plunger 2 9;with itsupper end engaging the lower surface of the spider 1 I 26 is a compression spring 35 having its lowerend engaging the upper surface of aspool-shaped enlargement 36 of the plunger 29. The spring 34 is more powerful than thespring 35'and overpowers the'latterexceptwhen the top hits the ground at the start of its spinning motion, as explained in the description ofthe operation. The plunger 29 is provided withan-annular groove ,3! of arcuate longitudinal section and is engaged by the correspondingly arcuate ends 38 of the bellcrank latching levers 39. having hook portions 40 at their upper ends (Figures 1 and 5). The latching levers 39 are thus approximately L- shaped and are pivotally mounted on pivotpins 4| extending between upstanding spaced cars 42 projecting upwardly from the;upper edge of an approximately conical latch support 43 (Figures '7 and8), The latch support 43 has an outer surface 44 nesting with the inner surface of the lower casing half l2 (Figures land 5)- and its lower edge 45 abuts an annular internal shoulder 46 near the lower end of the top I and surrounding a longitudinal bore 41 through which the lower end of the plunger 29 passes outwardly and is rounded asat'48 to form the peg, of the top. Intermediate the rounded portion 48 and the spool-shaped enlargement36, the plunger 29 is provided with an annular approximately conical enlargement 49, the tapered outer surface of which engages and nests with the inner surface 5001 the latch support 43, urging the latter downwardly. In order to prevent rotation of the latch Support '43, it is provided with outwardly extending wings (Figures 5 and 6) which extend outwardly and downwardly through rectangular apertures 52 formed in the side walls of the lower casing half and in an annular rib 53 extending therearound (Figures 1 and'lO) levers 39 (Figure 5), thereby compressing the coil spring 35.- In this P sition, the coil sprin 34 urges the plunger 29 downwardly so that its rounded lower end 48 projects a considerable distance outwardly from the lower end 54 of the bore 4'1. The operator winds a'cord around the outersurface of the lower casing half I2 injthe usual manner, looping the free end around-his finger or hand in the usual way. To spin the top,

he throws it downwardly and outwardly, the un- :4 winding of the cord causing the top to rotate rapidly before it hits the pavement or other surface upon which it is intended to spin.

When the top II] hits the pavement, its kinetic 5 energy pushes the lower end 48 of the plunger 29 sharply upward, temporarily overcoming the thrust of the coil spring 34. As a result of the upward motion of the plunger 29, the spoolshaped enlargement 36 thereof likewise moves upward, swinging the bell-crank latching levers 39 about their pivot pins4l sharply, and withdrawing their hook portions 40 from engagement with the upper surface of the spider 26 (Figure 5). The coil spring 35 ilir ststhe thus-released spider 26 upwardly, pushing the rotor blades upwardly and outwardly throughthe'openings l9 e in the casing I I, so that they shift from the positions of Figure 3 to those of Figure 1. The more .r 'powerful coil spring 34 then pushes the plunger 20 29 downwardly again into the position shown JFlg'ures 1and 5. w -The-rapid rotation of the top H] then causes the rotating extended blades 20 to engage the air a'ridthe latter causethe top to rise bodily into the air in the manner of a helicopter. The top actually constructed and tested; rose to "heights well above the adult operators head; When' the rotation of the top slows downa suflicient amount so that the blades 2ll no longer lift it upward, it reaches the top of its flight and then; descends slowly and gently, with theblades 2Q rotating in the opposite direction in the manner of a descending maple seed or helicopter, setting the top down gently upon the ground and preventing damage thereto. Asthe'top descends, the upwardly-bent.

blade portions ,2 I; impart stability to thetop and prevent it from slidingoff laterally during the descent, To prepare'the top for another ascent, the op erator grasps the casing l l in'onefhand and with the fingers of the other hand forces the blades 20 inwardly and downwardly through the'opening l 9 from the positionof Figure 1 to the'position of Figure 3, until the hook portions 40, of the latch le ing levers '39 snap over the'upper surface of the spider 26 and latch the latter in position, meanwhile compressing the coil spring- 35 (Figure 5).

The top is now ready for rewinding of the cord 7 thereon, the bent upperends fl'of the blades 20 lying snugly adjacent the outer surface of the cap l3 and the parts now occupy the position shown in Figure 3. 'Io-spin the top, the operator 1. A flying top comprisinga liollpw hav ing openings therethrough, retracting mechanism mounted within said casing, aplurality-ofrotor blades connected to said ,retracting rnechanism V and retractible at least partially into said casing,

6 and mechanism responsive 'tothe' impact of said top with an 'externalsurface forfextending said blades upwardly and i openings,

2. A flying top comprising ajhollow casinghaving openings therethrough,retractingmechanism V mounted within said casing andihaving a portio'n projectingoutwardly therethrough, a pluralityof rotor blades connectedto said retracting mechanism 'and retractible at leastv partially: intojsaidcasing, and mechanism responsive to the spinning V outwardly through saidof said top and to the impact of said projecting portion with an .external surface for extending said blades upwardly and outwardly through. aid openings.

3. A flying top comprising a-hollow casing having ngs th reth oue rre e t ns mechanism mounted within said casing, a plurality of rotor blades connected to said retracting mechanism and retractible at least partially into said casin and mechanism responsiveto the impact of said top with an external surface for extending said blades upwardly and outwardly through said openings, the outer portions of said blades being bent upwardly into positions approximately coextensive with said casing in the retracted positions of said blades.

4. A flying top comprising a hollow casing having openings therethrough, retracting mechanism mounted within said casing, a plurality of rotor blades connected to said retracting mechanism and retractible at least partially into said casing, and mechanism responsive to the impact of said top with an external surface for extending said blades upwardly and outwardly through said openings, said openings being spaced around the periphery of said casing and inclined upwardly therethrough.

5. A flying top comprising a hollow casing having openings therethrough, retracting mechanism mounted within said casing, a plurality of rotor blades connected to said retracting mechanism and retractible at least partially into said casing, a latching device releasably engageable with said retracting mechanism in the retracted positions of said blades, and mechanism responsive to the impact of said top with an external surface for releasing said latching device and extending said blades upwardly and outwardly through said openings.

6. A flying top comprising a hollow casing having openings therethrough, retracting mechanism mounted within said casing and having a portion projecting outwardly therethrough, a plurality of rotor blades connected to said retracting mechanism and retractible at least partially into said casing, a latching device releasably engageable with said retracting mechanism in the retracted positions of said blades, and mechanism responsive to the spinning of said top and to the impact of said projecting portion with an external surface for releasing said latching device and extending said blades upwardly and outwardly through said openings.

7. A flying top comprising a hollow casing having openings therethrough, retracting mechanism mounted within said casing, a plurality of rotor blades connected to said retracting mechanism and retractible at least partially into said casing, a latching device releasably engageable with said retracting mechanism in the retracting positions of said blades, and mechanism responsive to the impact of said top with an external surface for releasing said latching device and extending said blades upwardly and outwardly through said openings, the outer portions of said blades being bent upwardly into positions approximately 00- extensive with said casing in the retracted positions of said blades.

8. A flying top comprising a hollow casing having openings therethrough, retracting mechanism mounted within said casing, a plurality of rotor blades connected to said retracting mechanism and retractible at least partially into said casing, a latching device releasably engageable with said retracting mechanism in the retracting positions impact of said top with an external u f for releasing said latching device and extending said blades upwardly and outwardly through said openings, theouter portions of said blades being bent upwardly into positions approximately coextensive with said casing in the retracted positions of said blades, said openings being spaced around the periphery of said casing and inclined upwardly therethrough' 9. A flyingtopeomprising a hollow casing having openings therethrough, a plunger reciprocably mounted in said casing and having a portion projecting through the lower end thereof, a plurality of rotor blades connected to said plunger and retractible at least partially into said casing, and mechanism responsive to the impact of said plunger with an external surface for extending said blades upwardly and outwardly through said openings;

10. A flying top comprising a hollow casing having openings therethrough, a plunger reciprocably mounted in said casing and having a portion projecting through the lower end thereof, a plurality of rotor blades connected to said plunger and retractible at least partially into said casing, a yielding element for urging said blades upwardly and outwardly through said opening into extended positions relatively to said casing, a latching device releasably holding said blades in their retracted positions, and mechanism responsive to the impact of said plunger with an external surface for releasing said latching device whereby to release said yielding element to move said blades upwardly and outwardly into their extended positions.

11. A flying top comprising a hollow casing having openings therethrough, a plunger reciprocably mounted in said casing and having a portion projecting through the lower end thereof, a plurality of rotor blades connected to said plunger and retractible at least partially into said casing, and mechanism responsive to the impact of said plunger with an external surface for extending said blades upwardly and outwardly through said openings, the outer portions of said blades being bent upwardly into positions approximately coextensive with said casing in the retracted positions of said blades.

12. A flying top comprising a hollow casing having openings therethrough, a plunger reciprocably mounted in said casing and having a portion projecting through the lower end thereof, a plurality of rotor blades connected to said plunger and retractible at least partially into said casing, a yielding element for urging said blades upwardly and outwardly through said opening into extended positions relatively to said casing, a latching device releasably holding said blades in their retracted positions, and mechanism responsive to the impact of said plunger with an external surface for releasing said latching device whereby to release said yielding element to move said blades upwardly and outwardly into their extended positions, the outer portions of said blades being bent upwardly into positions approximately co-extensive with said casing in the retracted positions of said blades.

13. A flying top comprising a hollow casing having openings therethrough, a plunger reciprocably mounted in said casing and having a portion projecting through the lower end thereof, a plurality of rotor blades connected to said plunger and retractible at least partially into said casing, a yielding element for urging said blades upwardly and outwardly through said opening into extended positions relatively to said casing, a blade support connected to said blades within said casing, a latching device releasably engageable with said blade support, and mechanism responsive to the impact of said plunger with an external surface for releasing said latching'device whereby to release said yielding ele ment to move said blades upwardly and outwardly into their extended positions.

JOSEPH KEREZI.

V REFEnnNoEs CITED The following references are of record in the 

